The Madonnas of Leningrad: A Novel (P.S.) | 
 enlarge | Author: Debra Dean
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Category: Book
List Price: $13.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  69 reviews
Sales Rank: 28889
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.7
ISBN: 0060825316
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780060825317
ASIN: 0060825316
Publication Date: February 19, 2007
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Product Description
Bit by bit, the ravages of age are eroding Marina's grip on the everyday. An elderly Russian woman now living in America, she cannot hold on to fresh memories—the details of her grown children's lives, the approaching wedding of her grandchild—yet her distant past is miraculously preserved in her mind's eye. Vivid images of her youth in war-torn Leningrad arise unbidden, carrying her back to the terrible fall of 1941, when she was a tour guide at the Hermitage Museum and the German army's approach signaled the beginning of what would be a long, torturous siege on the city. As the people braved starvation, bitter cold, and a relentless German onslaught, Marina joined other staff members in removing the museum's priceless masterpieces for safekeeping, leaving the frames hanging empty on the walls to symbolize the artworks' eventual return. As the Luftwaffe's bombs pounded the proud, stricken city, Marina built a personal Hermitage in her mind—a refuge that would stay buried deep within her, until she needed it once more. . . .
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| Customer Reviews: Read 64 more reviews...
 The Madonnas of Leningrad November 25, 2008
I really enjoyed this book. The main characters are well written and the subject matter very interesting. I also went on line to the Hermitage Museum's web site to look at some of the paintings mentioned in the book. I liked the way the author took the reader back and forth through time in the Marina's life. Not only is this a book on what happened during the siege of Leningrad but also about aging and love of family.
 Madonnas of Leningrad October 7, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I never finished the book. I just couldn't get into it. But it did arrive on time.
Poignant, lovely book! August 22, 2008
What a beautifully written, touching first novel! Ms. Dean's gift of moving back and forth, from past to present (and occasionally blending the two) was so effective in illustrating Marina's descent into Alzheimer's. As one who is currently experiencing the natural decline of an elderly father, I found comfort and some degree of understanding in the author's treatment of Marina's way of living in the past and experiencing confusion in the present. The vivid descriptions of Russian life during the siege of Leningrad and the priceless treasures in the Hermitage reminded me of why I love art history. Altogether, an extremely satisfying read...I look forward to the author's next work!
The power of the mind July 22, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This inspiring story of remarkable endurance proved to be one of the most pleasurable reads for me this year. "The Madonnas of Leningrad" is a poignant tale of one woman's harrowing experiences during the 900-day Siege of Leningrad in WWII, alternating with events in her present-day life.
In 1941, Marina Krasnova is a young museum guide at the magnificent Hermitage Museum. Anticipating German attack, the museum staff work night and day to pack the priceless masterpieces to be transported to safety. When the bombings begin, the staff and their families seek refuge in the cellars of the museum, and not long after, starvation, disease, and desperation reduce their numbers. To escape the suffering of their daily lives, Marina and her friend, Anya, build in their minds a "memory palace," burning into their memories each room and the artworks that formerly graced them. As she walks from room to room, Marina sees past the empty gilt frames and sees again the grandeur of each painting-- the Rembrandts, the Da Vincis, the Carravagios, and hundreds more. To Marina, they were all part of her life and what sustained her in the darkest days. Amidst the bombings, she continues to hope that she will once again see her beloved Dmitri, the soldier she has fallen in love with and the father of the child she is carrying.
In the present day, Marina, now Mrs. Buriakov and in her 80s, is ravaged by Alzheimer's. Her memories of her children and recent events are in tatters, but memories of her Leningrad days are as vivid as always. As her faculties continue to degenerate, her mind takes her back to the days of the siege--back to her "memory palace" and the extraordinary paintings and events that defined her life. Her husband and children grow increasingly concerned, and when she disappears one day, it becomes the catalyst for her daughter, Elena's, search for her own identity and meaning in life, as well as a deeper understanding of her mother.
As expected, there is a wealth of art woven within, but one doesn't need to be an aficionado to appreciate the story. The numerous descriptions of the artworks facilitate our understanding of Marina and we identify with her desperate need to hang on to something, no matter that it's intangible, to survive. These masterpieces symbolize hope--that their return to the Hermitage someday is also the return of peace to Marina's Leningrad. The story does not merely contrast the younger Marina (when her mind saves her) and the older Marina (when her mind fails her). More importantly, it illustrates the power of the mind and spirit to provide courage and hope in even the bleakest of circumstances. It's a moving story written concisely yet descriptively, though not overdone, and particularly evocative in the chapters that deal with wartime hardships. Ms. Dean's debut was definitely worth this reader's effort and the few hours spent with her "madonnas" have been a delight.
Beautiful! July 17, 2008
I could not put this book down. It is beautifully written, and you end up caring so much for the characters. Well researched, well thought out, well written.......what a find. I hope Dean writes more.
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